Herbert H. Tyrnauer, FIDSA

Herbert H. Tyrnauer, FIDSA
(1928-2012)

US industrial designer/educator who was born in Pittsburgh, PA and served in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1955 with a BFA degree in industrial design. From 1955 to 1957 he worked in New York City at Bertell Display & Exhibition, Raymond Spilman & Associates and Warner-Swazey Research Corporation.

In 1958 he graduated from Cranbrook Academy of Art with a masters degree in design and became Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Texas Women's University until 1961. He then joined California State University at Long Beach as Discipline Director of the industrial design program, a position he held until 1993.

In 1962 he formed Tyrnauer & Holzman Design Associates and conducted private practice concurrently. In 1985-86 and again in 1989-1990, as the industrial design program achieved Department of Design status, he was acting as its Interim Chair, and from 1993 to Fall 1995, was Chair of the Department. As an outstanding educator, he was highly respected as a mentor by many of his talented students and by many in the design community.

Tyrnauer joined IDSA in 1965. An active member, he held a number of IDSA offices including Los Angeles Chapter Chair in 1964. In 1969, as a member of the national board of directors, he presented structural changes to IDSA's Executive Board at the national meeting in Washington and was awarded IDSA Fellowship in 1975. He was elected Western Regional Vice President from 1986 to 1988. He served on the IDSA Education Committee for many years, including a term as its chairman. At the 1989 National Education Meeting, he authored a paper, "The Separation of Design from Art." In the 1980s, he was also instrumental in developing design school joint accreditation by IDSA and NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design). In 1993 he received IDSA's highest honor for educators, its coveted Education Award.

He traveled extensively for design-related activities to Europe, Japan, Mexico, England, and Central Asia. From 1977 to 1978, he was Guest Chairman at the Center for Technical Education in Holon, Israel. He was an active participant in three United States Information Agency (USIA) tours to the Soviet Union in 1968, 1977 and 1990.